How to Become a General Family Practitioner

General family practitioners are in increasingly high demand.

The general family practitioner (GFP) has become what was once known as the "family doctor." When an illness occurs, it is usually the GFP that first diagnoses or treats the illness. According to an article for CNN Money, the family doctor is on the way to becoming an "endangered breed," as more and more physicians choose to either become part of specialized medicine or to join advanced research hospital staff. The GFP typically makes about one-quarter what a specialist might earn, with an average hourly wage of $81 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Instructions

1. Become either a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) or a Doctor of Medicine (MD) after completing four years of medical school as well as fulfilling your residency requirements. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine have all the privileges and medical rights as Doctors of Medicine. With 4 years of undergraduate work and 4 years of medical school, plus an additional 3 to 6 years for residency work, you will need at least 11 years of schooling, in addition to the 3 years required for family medicine.

2. Enroll in a Family Practitioner Certification Program. The program must be approved by the American Board of Family Medicine, since all family practitioners have to be board certified by the ABFM. The testing is designed to assess your knowledge on a broad spectrum of illnesses, conditions, treatments and disorders.

3. Enroll in continuing education programs that are designed for family practice. These can include (but are not limited to) home study programs (which will be ABFM-certified) dealing with pediatric care, geriatric conditions and treatments, and internal medicine. Other areas that you might want to examine in your continuing education process can include medical billing practices and physical therapy, as well as counseling programs that might include domestic violence.

4. Interview and intern with a general family practitioner. In addition to getting "hands on" experience in an actual family practice, you will gain invaluable experience in doctor-patient interactions, problem solving and even some aspects of counseling.

5. Set up an appointment to take the American Board of Family Medicine certification exam. This exam will test your knowledge in the broadest of areas, so make sure that you pay particular attention to any areas that you are not well-versed in.

6. Maintain your board certification by taking continued education courses. In addition to the continued education courses, you can also acquire Certificates of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in additional areas, including pediatric care and geriatric care.

References

• HealthCare Training Center: Family Practitioner Training Schools, Continuing Education and Jobs
• CNN Money: Family Doctors: An Endangered Breed
• American Board of Family Medicine: History of the Specialty
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009, Family and General Practitioners
• Health Care Salary Online: Family Practice Doctor Job Description